Pig mold



Feb. 4, 1930. F. w. COBURN 1,745,475

PIG MOLD Filed Feb. 10, 1927 HI-J; i I v M V2; W I BY 6%., a 5 I ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 4, 193%) ems s'r rss PATENT OFFICE FREDERICK WARD GOBURN, F IBIRDSBORO, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNORTO E. AND G. BROOKE IRON COMPANY, OF BIRDSBORO, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OIE V PENNSYLVANIA "rid MOLD Application fi led February 10, 1927. Serial No. 167,149.

invention'relates to molds which are employed to receive'molten iron from a blast furnace, which molds usually are designated pig molds.

I The general object of the invention is to provide a mold of novel construction including means whereby deformation thereof, due to the intense heat to which such molds are subjected, is prevented.

As at present constructed such molds, gen erally speaking, are of rectangular shape in top-plan and of trough-shape in cross section, andone side thereof from which the molded ingot of metal is discharged is constructed of relatively great strength as compared with the other side in consequence of which,-due to variations in temperature from intensely hot to cold,warping and cracking of the mold take place within a relatively short period of time after the molds are put into use.

It therefore is an object of the invention to I embody within the mold structure means to prevent such warping and deformation and thereby prevent cracking or breaking of the Heretofore molds of this character have been constructed of cast iron, the expectation being that they would be capable of use butfor a relatively short period of time. In view of the cracking and breaking due to such warping and deformation it has been impractical, because of the expense, to employ steel in the manufacture of such molds. By rea son of the present invention I am enabled to employ steel in the manufacture of such molds and have found that in actual practice molds constructed of that material may be bodying my invention are employed I have found that they may be used in the handling of at least seven or eight times the quantity of' material or number of'pigs than heretofore has been practical. My invention, however,

is of great advantage when embodied in the structures of molds consisting of cast iron. I shall not undertake here to pointout all of the various objects and advantages incident to my invention but other objects will be referred to in the detailed description thereof which follows or will be apparent from such description. In order that the invention may be readily understood and its advantages from a practical standpoint more fully appreciated reference may be had to the accompanying drawing in which I haveillustrated a mold embodying one form of my invention. A

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a view in transverse section taken on the line 1-1 of Fig. 2; I Fig. 2 is a view in side elevation looking toward the right in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a view in side elevation of an end portion of the mold looking toward the left in Fig. 1. i y

In the drawing I have shown a pig mold of suitable metal, such as cast iron or steel, which near its opposite end portions is of trough-shapein cross section. The mold is provided intermediate its ends with a proj ection, as indicated at 1, whichtapers from about the middle of the mold toward the opposite ends as'indicated by the dash lines at 2. The contour of the trough cavity, longitudinally of the mold, is indicated by the series of dash lines shown in Fig. 2, but no further reference will be made to this contour because it is. common to molds of the adapted to be conveyed past the point at which molten iron is delivered thereinto.

At a certain point in their travel the molds are tilted so as to discharge therefrom the pigs. Thesaid molds are tilted to the left, having reference to Fig. 1 of the drawing, so that the pigs are discharged over theedge 4 of the side 5 of the mold. It will be noted that the central intermediate portion 5 of the side 6 of the mold is somewhat thicker than the corresponding portion of the side 5 and that the said side 6 is provided with an enlargement 7. The said thickened portion 5 diminishes in thickness from the middle thereof to the ends and to the top edge and bottom side of the mold in known manner. As a result of the greater thickness and of the presence of the enlargement 7 of the side 6 in molds as heretofore constructed the latter has been of greater strength and rigidity than the opposite side 5. The result of this has been that the mold has warped due to variations from high to low temperatures and the reverse; that is, from high tem-' peratures to temperatures approaching normal atmospheric temperature and the "reverse. The side 5 having been of'less rugged structure than the side 6 in molds as heretofore constructed, the tendency of the mold has been to'bend in a direction to place the side 5 under stretching tension, in consequence of which it has been fractured and broken or else has become so deformed that its usehas become impractical.

In order to prevent such deformation and fracturing I have embodied in molds a rib or projection 8 adjoining the edge 4 of the side 5. The said rib or projection extends outwardly, as shown in Fig. 1, and its presence prevents deformation or warping of the mold due to variations in the temperature thereof. As has been stated, these temperatures vary from very high to relatively low temperatures. Such variation in tempera ture results in expansion and contraction. Without the presence of the strengthening rib or projection 8 which extends along the entire length of the outerside of the upper edge portion of the side 5 of the mold such expansion and contraction result in deformation or warping of the said side 5, which in i turn in practice heretofore has resulted in the cracking or breaking of the same.

termediate itsbottom and top edge portions than the corresponding intermediate portion of the opposite side, and the said discharge side being provided with a ribqextending longitudinally thereof in adjoining relation to its top edge.

' 2. A pig mold of suitable metal which is of trough-shape in cross section the discharge side of which is of less thickness intermediate its bottom and top edge portions than the corresponding intermediate portion of 'the opposite side, and the said discharge side and the side opposite thereto being provided with ribs extending longitudinally thereof in adjoining relation to the top edge of said sides for preventing the distortion of the mold due to wide variations in the tempera ture thereof. I I

3. A pig mold consisting of steel which is of trough shape in cross section, the central portion of the discharge side of which is of less thickness intermediate its bottom and top edge portions than the corresponding portion of the opposite side, the said discharge side being provided'with a rib extending longitudinally thereof to resist the tension in the said dischargeside caused by the un equal expansion and contraction of portions of the said mold, and projections provided on the ends of thesaid mold whereby the latter may be supported upon conveyor chains. 7

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have hereunto signed my name this 8th day of February, 1927.

FREDERICK WARD oon univ.

Inthe construction as shown the rib or projection 8 is angular in cross section, but

the shape thereof in cross section may be varied without departing from the spirit and scope of my, invention.

I have found in practice that when pig molds are provided with a rib or projection of the characterof that indicated at 8 a very much greatly increased quantityor num-' ber of pigs may be handled without-destruction and without the necessityof renewing the mold. This means, generally, a greatly increased period of time during which-the" molds may be used. Such increase in the length of the life of the mold and in the numberof pigs which maybe molded therein has the effect of bringing about a great increase in the economy of operation.

of trough-shape in cross section, the discharge side of which is of less thickness in- Having thus described my invention,'what v 

